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God
Promises to Heal All Believers |
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James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. James provides a believer's proper response to three present conditions: #1. Suffering - kakopatheo (Greek: to suffer hardship, misfortune, or trouble) - Suffering due to mental, physical, or spiritual causes. Paul also uses the word in 2 Timothy 2:9 and 2 Timothy 4:5. In the first he is "bound with chains as a criminal," physical suffering for a spiritual reason. In the second, he uses this word as a follow up to his call that Timothy "always be sober-minded," implying mental suffering (though not excluding physical). The solution for suffering of any type: "Let him pray." In other words; seek God, seek His help, strength, mercy and grace. #2. Cheerful - euthumeo (to take courage; to cheer up; to be full of good spirits or merry) - The natural result of when things are going well or beyond what is expected. Paul uses the word in Acts 27:22 and Acts 27:25. In the first he's encouraging a natural response to knowing that "there will be no loss of life among you" in the midst of a shipwreck. In the second, he again encourages the same as he assures them that he has faith "in God that it will be exactly as" He was told. The response for being cheerful: "sing praise" - psallo (to sing, with or without accompaniment of an instrument) - with a focus on singing to the Lord (whether any audience is present or not). Paul also uses the word four times, in Romans 15:9, 1 Corinthians 14:15, and Ephesians 5:19 (see also Colossians 3:16 where Paul uses related wording). In the first, using an Old Testament quote, he separates singing to God from praising God to the pagans (Gentiles). One can sing to God, praising Him, without anyone listening. Even if others hear this praise, it's still offered firstly to God. In the second, 1 Corinthians, Paul uses the word twice, noting "I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also." Here he makes clear that singing, while part of our spirit is also consciously directed by our mind. In the third passage he affirms "singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart" in contrast to "addressing one another" using these. Music is important even if your only audience is God, for we are firstly offering this praise to Him. #3. Sick - astheneo (to be weak [physically or from fear], sick, ill, debilitated, or in need). Thirty-three New Testament verses use this word. In their frequent use in the gospels and most instances in Acts, they refer to physical illness, yet by the time Paul and James are writing most verses aren't over physical sickness. Paul twice references physical sickness: Philippians 2:26 and 2 Timothy 4:20. The others, including one late in Acts are: Acts 20:35; Romans 4:19, 8:3, 14:1; 1 Corinthians 8:9, 11; 2 Corinthians 11:21, 29; 2 Corinthians 12:10; and 2 Corinthians 13:3-4, 9. The response for being sick, fearful, debilitated, or in need: "call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." Again, the focus is God. As with suffering, it's a call to seek God. And yet, here, the believer is reminded to share their serious needs with church, so that other godly people are praying too. Specifically, this means sharing this with the church elders (note the plurality). The elder's response to the one asking is twofold:
First, a plurality of elders praying with the requester is a guarantee that two or more are gathered together in prayer (Matthew 18:20; 2 Corinthians 13:1). God is glorified in His answer to prayer and more people sharing in that prayer allows more people to share in seeing Him at work. Second, anointing with oil has a specific symbolism. Anointing with oil was a long-time Biblical practice. It was normally a public declaration that the person (or object) being anointed was holy, set apart, for God's will, purposes, and service. (Consider Aaron and his sons in Exodus 28:41; 30:30-32, and temple items in Leviticus 8:10-12. Yet even a pagan king, Cyrus, was said to be anointed by God, serving His purposes: Isaiah 45:1). For a New Testament believer, a physical anointing is a reminder that we - all believers - are anointed by God: 1John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 1John 2:27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie-just as it has taught you, abide in him. This anointing also calls to mind the encouragement of the Psalmist: Psalms 20:6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8 They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before mein the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Consider also 1 Chronicles 16:19-22 or Psalms 105:12-15) The constant reminder here is that a person anointed by God is set apart for Him and cared for By Him. For His purposes and glory, He will care for His anointed and guarantees an eternally good outcome. Most of all, He's guaranteed that He will never leave or forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5). James 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. In verse 15, James provides assurance to all those suffering hardships or misfortune, or who is in weakness, in need, or is sick - as is every believer at one time or another (even those presently cheerful): "The prayer of faith will save..." The power here isn't intrinsic to the action of praying, for a person could be praying to a rock or god that is no god at all (Galatians 4:8). Nor is the power intrinsic to faith itself, for a person may have faith in the wrong things. Power to save comes from the One who is the focus of our prayers and the source of our faith: God! (See Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:1-38). "Prayer of faith." The prayer of faith which comes from God has us asking for both the right things (according to God's will) and asking unwaveringly. Matthew 21:21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Save - Sozo (save, maintain, or preserve). God maintains and preserves His people throughout their lifelong journey and saves them to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). This is true of the believer who struggles with infirmities and weakness or suffers through shipwrecks and beatings. It includes those who fall sick and those who are slaughtered for their faith. God saves in the manner He sets and always for His purposes and glory, with the only guarantee all believers have being the outcome. Affirmatively answered prayer is always by the will of God and not of our will: Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (exampled by Jesus in Matthew 26:42) 1John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. In providing saving assurance in James 5:15, James switches words here. Rather than his first used "astheneo," he selects another word. This word "kamno" intentionally broadens the first word, which some might see as only physical sickness. This second word combines ideas also belonging to his starting condition of "suffering." Sick - kamno (to be weary, fatigued, tired from exertion, fainting, discouraged, or sickened). This word only appears one other time in New Testament Scriptures, in the book of Hebrews: Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. "Weary (kamno)" or "fainthearted (ekluo)," is an intentional pairing of two words expressing a similar idea. The second means "exhausted in strength, discouraged, give out, lose courage, lose heart, or weary." Together they easily express effects that are possibly physical, mental or spiritual. To anyone in these circumstances, God has promised to preserve and save them. "And the Lord will raise Him up." While God's will may be to allow a person to remain with a physical infirmity in this life (see 2 Corinthians 12:7; 2 Timothy 4:20), God has guaranteed that He will raise up His people. James reflects similar wording found in John's gospel: John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. The Greek words egeiro and anistemi are direct synonyms, with James using the former and John using the latter, to form the same expression "raise him up." The emphasis here is "on the last day." Every believer is guaranteed that God will raise them up on the last day. Spiritual restoration and perfect healing, mentally and physically, is a promise of the resurrection. Weariness, weakness, and suffering will then become a thing of the past - why it's called entering into God's rest (Hebrews 4:3, 9) and there are no more tears (Revelation 7:17; 21:4; Isaiah 25:8). "And if He has committed sins, he will be forgiven." We enter this final rest because God forgives our sins as He promised. God has promised to answer prayers of faith and forgive all our sins... 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. James' final encouragement is again a reminder to share problems (or the source of problems) that need to be prayed about with other believers. James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Healed - Iaomai (restored to health physically, restored from sin and its consequences, restored mentally). Again, God promises complete healing when we enter His rest, when He raises us up. Until then we must continue to pray ourselves and to pray for each other. If it's God's will for temporary healing and strength for a period, He'll grant it. Remember all healing now is merely temporary as this flesh continues its breakdown leading to death - due to sin, we are born dying. Regardless, God assures our final perfect healing. "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." The righteous person has no power of his own. Their righteousness comes from God and their faith comes from God. Their prayer is only powerful because it's in God's will and God will answer it. |
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Article by Brent
MacDonald of Lion Tracks Ministries,
As posted on www.NotJustAnotherBook.com |
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